EXPRESSING GOD’S EXCEPTIONAL LOVE

Your gifts and potentials will make you great. However, your ability to love others will make you like God. Love is the expression of God’s image in us. God first loved us and He expects us to share this love with those who come in contact with us. 1 John 4: 12-13, 19 says, ‘No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit… We love Him because He first loved us.’ Our lives must daily be an expression of God’s love. In 1 Corinthians 16:14, Apostle Paul says, ‘Let all that you do be done in love.’ Make love your aim and your pursuit.

Love breaks deeply rooted traditions. Many of us come from different cultures and backgrounds. Some come from quiet welcoming tribes while others are from very violent and hard-hearted cultures. These tend to shape our behaviors, outlook and expressions. I know someone who never cried from his pre-school age until he was seventeen years, when he gave his life to Christ. The reason: Crying is associated with weakness in his family tradition. You must never been seen crying. So he grew up hard-hearted and unyielding until he received Christ as his Lord and Saviour. God’s love breaks the hold of traditions and racial or ethnic prejudices over our lives. Jesus says, ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ (John 13:34-35). Christianity makes us refined transcultural people; it makes us citizens of heaven.

Love questions theologies based on human nature. Many harsh laws were put in place to suit people’s inclinations and proclivities. When the disciples asked about Moses Law on divorce, Jesus responded, ‘…Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so’ (Matthew 19:8 KJV). Love overrides human unkind laws and theologies; it proffers peace, kindness and care for humanity. Colossians 3:14 says, ‘And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.’

Love is based on a new way of thinking. Love changes our paradigm; it refines our thoughts and makes life worth living. Love teaches us not only to look at life rationally but righteously. Love says ‘Don’t think naturally, think supernaturally.’ Love is it! When you keep recounting the evil people did to you, you perpetuate a generation of hatred and bitterness. Pray for those that wrong you; love others with the love of God. Jesus says, ‘But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust’ (Matthew 5:44-45).

Love will make you healthy. Love will make you happy. Love will make you holy. Love will make you humble and love will attract helpers. Choose love today. Extend God’s love to your family, friends, neighbours, and colleagues but much more than that, show love and kindness to your enemies. Love will always win. ‘And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love’ (1 Corinthians 13:13).

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It promises to be great.

Have a great week.